Rotating scraper for cleaning the skin of vessels



May 22, 1923. 1,456,386

A. .1. F. LEE

ROTATING SGRAPER FOR CLEANING THE SKIN OF VESSELS Original Filed Aug. 22, 1919 l w (\g Q Q Q 11 17565565 r 8% (q \i 706,725, agm jam/J g. I 6y 4/ W Patented May 22, 1923.

,UNETED TATE$ earner reins, Y

ROTATING SCRAPER FOR CLEANING THE SKIN VESSELS.

Original application filed August 22, 1919, Serial No. 319,115.

Divided and this application filed Decemher 15, 1919. Serial No. 344,996.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT JOHN FRED- ERICK LEE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in Montreal, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Rotating Scrapers for Cleaning the Skin of Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a submersible car suspended from a submersible vessel and is more especially adapted to facilitate operations to be effected on a sunken wreck. It is also more particularly designed to be used in combination with a submersible vessel of the type described in my copending application, Serial No. 319115, in which a central tunnel of an inverted U section forms a chamber enclosed as to its sides and roof and open below to the sea water.

This car can be raised or lowered by suitable tackle and is carried on a trolley rail made fast to the roof of the tunnel and passing completely round it.

One or more scrapers are adapted to traverse the front of the car in order to expose a clean surface of the skin of the wreck to the action of electromagnets adapted to be projected through openings in the side of the car in order to make contact with the plating of the wreck, and, when energized, secure the car thereto while doors in other openings are opened to enable men in the car to work upon the surface of the wreck. The action of the scrapers also facilitates the application of a gasket of rubber secured to the outside of the car. When the car is clamped to the side of the wreck by the electromagnets the rubber gasket excludes air or water from entering the car when the doors in the car are opened The scrapers can also be used when for other purposes it is desirable to clean the skin of the wreck.

The accompanying drawing shows an example .of a car provided with scrapers ac cording to the invention.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 is a plan partly in section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

and Fig. is an end view of'the car.

Openings 50 are formed at the front of the car C through which electromagnets 51 can be advanced or. withdrawn by means of screwed rods 51 connected to the magnets 51 by ball and socket joints 51" to make contact with the plating of the wreck, and openings 52 at the front of the car are provided 65 with outer doors 53 and inner doors 54:.

These doors make it possible, in the manner usual with air locks, to obtain access from the interior of thecar to the surface of a wreck to which the car may be secured." A rubber gasket 55 issecured to the side of the car and is divided into a number of small squares 56. I

A scraper 57 has its opposite ends connected to a pair of wires or, bands 58 extending lengthwise of the car door, and below the gasket 55, respectively, and wound upon drums 59 secured to spindles 60 mounted to rotate in recesses at each end of the'oar. When the scraper 57 isn'ot in use it may, by winding the wire or band 58 upon thedrum 59 at the right hand end of the car (Fig. 2) be drawn into the recess wherein said drum is mounted.

The operation'of the apparatus is as follows:

The car is lowered from the submersible vessel by which itis carried alongside the wreck to be operated upon. The cables 58, which run, respectively, above and below the gasket 55 are then drawn to the left (Fig. 2) by winding them upon the drums 59 at the left-hand end of the car to cause the scraper 57 to scrape the surface of the wreck and are then drawn to the right (Fig. 2) to cause the scraper 57 to scrape the surface of the wreck in the opposite direction and then to enter the recess at the right-hand end of the car. One or both of the electromagnets 51 is then projected by means of its screwed rod 51 against the surface of the wreck and energized to secure the,car O to the wreck. The electromagnet 51 is then moved by means of its screwed rod 51 back into its recess whichbrings the car G into close contact with the wreck. The rubber gasket 55 forms an air and water tight joint between the car and-the wreck. The doors 53 and 5 1 to the openings 52 may then be opened in order to work upon the surface of the wreck from within the car O. lVhen the electromagnets 51 are (lo-energized the car is released from the wreck and may be moved upwardly or downwardly or lengthwise of the wreck and the operations just de scribed may be repeated upon another part of the surface of the wreck. The spindles 60 are rotated in the example shown by bevel gearing 61 and skew gearing 62.

Having thus described the nature of the said invention and the best means I know of carrying the same into practical efiect, I claim 1. A closed submersible car adapted to be suspended from a vessel, means carried by the car for attaching the car to a wreck, and means movable longitudinally of the exterior of the car for scraping the plating of said Wreck.

2. A salvage vessel, a trolley rail carried by said vessel, rollers movable on said trolley rail, a submersible closed car suspended from said rollers, and means in said car for operating on a submerged wreck.

3. A salvage vessel, a trolley rail carried by said vessel, a submersible car suspended from said rail, and means within the car for attaching the car to the side of a Wreck for securing plates to the wreck, and for scraping the plating of said wreck.

4. A salvage vessel, a trolley rail carried by said vessel, a submersible car suspended from said rail and provided with openings, and electromagnets adapted to be projected through saidopenings into contact with the side of a Wreck.

5. A closed car adapted to be suspended from a vessel, electromagnets carried by the car adapted, when energized to cause the car to adhere to a wreck and a resilient packing on the exterior of said car and engaged with the plating of a Wreck to form an air and water-tight vconnection between the car and a plating of a wreck. V

6. A closed car adapted to be suspended from a vessel, flexible means mounted on the outside of the car, scrapers carried by said flexible means, and means operated from the car for moving said flexible means and causing the scraper to travel in contact with the skin plating of a wreck.

7. A closed ear adapted to be suspended from a vessel, flexible means mounted on the outside of the car, scrapers carried by said flexible means, drums mounted at the ends of the car around which said flexible means is wound, and gearing within the car for imparting movement to said drums.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ALBERT JOHN FREDERICK LEE. 

